How you can combine sport and sightseeing when traveling!

Most of us have busy schedules and limited time and I’m no exception even when on a trip so finding ways to optimize time is important to me. I also like do some sport and keep in shape even when traveling as you can see in this earlier article I wrote on how to keep fit when traveling: 5 Ways to Stay Fit when Traveling but is there also a way to combine fitness with sightseeing?
An effective way for me to get my fitness in when traveling is to combine it with sightseeing. On a recent trip to Wrocław in Poland, I took a long 90 minute jog through the town’s beautiful city centre which was replete with parks and a river.
The weather was a roasting 33 Celsius and while the tourists looked uncomfortable in their typical gaudy attire to deal with the heat, I relished the opportunity the sweat profusely in my sports gear. In 90 minutes, I covered as much of the city as a tourist would in maybe 4 or 5 hours stopping along the way to snap the photos that you can see in this post. So here are my tips for combining sport with sightseeing.
1. Start off with one small bottle of water – you can buy more in kiosks and corner shops along the way.
2. In addition to the monuments, buildings and other attractions you want to see, check on the map for parks, rivers and other natural paths for joggers and make a provisional itinerary through the city.
3. A smartphone is the simplest to use as a camera for its weight and size.
4. There are also running tours organized in many major cities if you don’t feel like running alone.
run wroclaw poland
90 minutes light jogging through the city of Wroclaw, Poland – see the sights and keep fit!
5. Pack light running clothes (t-shirt and shorts) and trainers if traveling with just carry-on luggage.
1. Cycling allows you to increase the range of distance that you can cover over running so you can plan a more extensive itinerary on the map.
2. In many cities, cycle lanes provide you with a convenient (and safe) roadway on which to pedal to your destination.
3. You can bring a bigger camera than when running.
4. Renting a bike is easy in most cities and cycle tours are frequently organized if you would prefer to socialize while seeing the city.
5. Always lock the bike with two locks (if possible) to deter theft. Twice the time to steal your bike over the one-lock bicycle beside means that ceteris paribus yours will be left alone.
tourists wroclaw poland
What tourists do … Wroclaw, Poland was a great city to combine jogging with sightseeing
This style of sightseeing is obviously a bit more difficult in cities that are very crowded and highly polluted but you should still go and try it out and see if you take keep your fitness levels up while at your next travel destination.
nature wroclaw poland
Beautiful botanic garden I came across on my jog through Wroclaw, Poland
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